the political world reacts to the death of Gérard Collomb

The former Minister of the Interior and former mayor of Lyon died at the age of 76. One of Emmanuel Macron’s first supporters announced a little over a year ago that he was suffering from stomach cancer.

Gérard Collomb “passed away peacefully among his family” at the age of 76, announced his wife, Caroline, on Saturday, November 25 evening. The death of the former mayor of Lyon and ex-Minister of the Interior in the first Macron government sparked a shower of tributes in his city, but also within the political class. President Macron and his wife greeted in a press release “a dear friend”, “a mayor who dedicated his exceptional talents of dialogue and imagination to building a city in his image”A “statesman who embodied republican ascension and authority”.

The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, also paid tribute to this “tireless servant of the State, republican, companion of the president from the start” Who “served the French all his life”. “We have lost a great man”she added.

Tireless servant of the State, republican, companion from the start of the President: Gérard Collomb served the French all his life, as mayor of Lyon, as Minister of the Interior.

We are losing a great man.

Thoughts of his family, his loved ones and the people of Lyon. pic.twitter.com/sSyZZNXS9h

— Élisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) November 25, 2023

Guest of Franceinfo on Sunday, Renaissance MP Sacha Houlié declared that Gérard Collomb “embodied Lyon”. “It was everything for him. VS’was someone who accompanied us in our first steps. France lost a great politician yesterday. He did his country a service.”he added.

The PS has not forgotten one of its former pillars

Members of the government also reacted. “Gérard Collomb will have been a great servant of the general interest and will mark the history of Place Beauvau”estimated the current Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin on “The city of Lyon would not be what it is without him. Builder, visionary”assured the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, on X.

Before joining the macronie, Gérard Collomb had been national secretary of the Socialist Party, delegate for external relations. The former President of the Republic François Hollande also praised his past as “activist”, “endowed with inexhaustible tenacity, rare courage and keen intelligence”. “He contributed to the re-foundation of the PS with François Mitterrand then Pierre Mauroy. He thought he would continue his social democratic commitment by choosing to follow another path”he declared on X, referring to his choice to join Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party.

Hailed by the RN and the Republicans

The leaders of other political parties shared their “sadness”like Eric Ciotti. “We will remember the relevance of his dark diagnosis [sur la situation “très dégradée” des quartiers difficiles] leaving Place Beauvau (…) He served Lyon and France with passion and competence.”wrote the boss of the Republicans.

It is with great sadness that I learned of the disappearance of Gérard Collomb, a great republican. We will remember the relevance of his dark diagnosis when leaving Place Beauvau: “Tomorrow, we will live face to face”. This unfortunately happens every day.

He served Lyon… pic.twitter.com/mhYzGsMPXL

— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) November 25, 2023

The two figures of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, transmitted their condolences to the family of the former mayor of Lyon and reiterated his observation on this situation in difficult neighborhoods. “‘Today, we live side by side (…) I fear that, tomorrow, we will live face to face’. This was the warning issued to France by one of its former interior ministers”noted the president of the RN. “His fear of a fractured France must challenge us more than ever”, for her part observed the RN deputy. Finally, the environmentalist mayor of Grenoble, Eric Piolle, welcomed a “neighbor who devoted a large part of his life to public affairs”.